One More Last Fist Bump - English Version -
by CrimsonInari
Summary: After the events of Sonic Forces, Sonic has stopped running for a moment to reflect on everything he had left behind. [Slight/Soft SonTails] [Sonic x Tails]


**One More LasT Fist Bump**

3 ... 2 ... 1 ... STOP!

A day like that, suddenly, I stopped dead.

My mind, always blank, but in search of something indeterminate, perhaps adventure, freedom, help those in need, in short, try to be the best to help others...

Suddenly after a long career that may have lasted for days... weeks ... I do not know, I do not usually measure time, but the motivation that makes me push myself further and further. My mind stopped. I just stopped.

I looked at the landscape around me. Despite the harmonic sounds of nature that surrounded me, there was only one murmur inside me. Or rather, silence. Apart from my rapid breathing, and my heart beating vigorously in my torso, after that sensation, a deafening void in my head.

I had never worried about hearing or observing anything that was not essential or transcendental.

Or perhaps I had never reasoned enough for the absence of a whisper, a thought that was not simply to come to the help of people in need. But suddenly another small, weak, shy voice, said softly, slowly, untilgradually becoming clearer and sharper.

I sat for a moment to admire the landscape. The war was over. The peace, although it was not lasting (since it had never been since I have memory), covered everything that reached the horizon with its mantle. I could suddenly breathe. And think. Think of me for the first time in many years.

What had happened around me? I was the same? Of course not! Everything was different now. I was different.

Six months away from everything had been too much.

I looked at the sky, in the direction of where I had remained disconnected from everyone I had ever loved, my loved ones, my friends, my family. I sighed.

They had changed with me in my absence, and their absence had marked me like never before.

The spongy clouds moved between the air currents, as if those storms had never existed, as if the planet had never been on the verge of collapse in my absence.

I thought about each and every one of them. How they would have reacted to my absence, and how they had managed without me. They were heroes as valuable as any other, even more than me at that time. I had not given up, that never! I always kept hope in them, in me.

But I could not lie to myself and think that being disconnected, isolated for so long, almost does not drive me crazy. Although I always hoped to achieve freedom for myself, my friends, and the planet, I had moments of despair, even of losing track of time, of not knowing if there were still people to fight for.

Rumors of all kinds were heard in that horrible place, and the one that affected me the most, was the one who gave up the person who had always believed in me, the person who since I have remembered, had accompanied me from the beginning.

Some said he had disappeared and no one knew where he was, others that the enemy legions had ended his life. I flatly refused to believe it, but it was then that I realized that I cared more about his life than anything, and what is worse, I had never been able to show it to him in person. I had been at my side at all times, and had even saved my own life countless times, and until now I had not valued his absence to this point, and how terribly lonely I felt. We had never parted so long, and not having news confused me. I tried to keep my enthusiasm from believing the most fateful news. But on the other hand, in the dark, at some moments of the night, or the day, I could barely make out the hours in outer space, I lay on that cold bed facing the wall, and my chest burned, I cried inside.

I would never have admitted it, nor proved it to anyone. That was not my style. But I suffered with every memory that came to my mind. Every adventure, every disagreement, every happy ending, every smile, even the bad times now didn't seem so bad to me.

I had always had him so safe, so present by my side even if hundreds of thousands of kilometers separated us, that to think that the distance that could separate us from now on was unattainable by any means, assumed me in an empty, opaque despair, with the thunderous silence in my being.

I cried, there is no reason to deny it. Because the heroes also cry. The heroes are also injured, and the heroes also lose. Even the most important thing in their lives. And I had just lost everything. In just a few minutes. And I hadn't even had enough time to realize what was really important.

I sighed so that my lungs were full, and releasing a breath of air, that knot in the torso was loosening with less force each time. I had not had time to take out all this anguish, this anxiety, this sadness.

I must be the example to follow, hope, light for all.

But sometimes heroes fall, they need to heal their wounds to run again, start fighting again.

Something wet fell from my cheeks and hit my exhausted legs. I unconsciously brought a hand to my face, and stopped to observe those small drops that now ran down the palm of my hand. Eventually several more continued, until it was impossible to stop them for me. They only flowed and flowed, accompanied by a murmur between silenced sobs. I just wished that nobody could find me here, on this secluded hill. Not in this state, what would they think of me? Would they be able to find hope in a new world if their hero was in those pitiful conditions? What about if he...?

Something stirred in the thicket, but I had been too unwilling to allow myself this moment of loneliness and relief.

-I knew I would find you here. -A kind, cheerful and understanding voice that I knew as nobody, broke into my thoughts. I turned confused and bewildered, before I realized the spectacle so unfortunate that it was taking place on my face.

-Tails ... W ... What are you doing here?! How did you find me so fast?! - From the big impression I hardly get up and stumble. He had caught me off guard, it was undeniable.

-"That I no longer follow you as usual, does not mean that you are a complete stranger to me." He smiled without judging my expression and approached me.

-Do you mind if I sit by your side?

-Of course not, how could I care? -I tried to pretend joy and cordiality, but judging by his gaze it had not worked.

-You don't have to always be a model image to me; I'm not a little child as you think. -His gaze conveyed serenity and warmth, and then diverted it to the sky.

-You know? ... Since you disappeared 6 months ago ... I've often come here looking for answers I never had. I used to think that my intelligence could do everything. You gave me that security, but when you disappeared...

His fists clenched shyly, trembling on their knees, before taking a breath and continuing- I totally lost the north. I was a coward. I felt suddenly that I had failed you in everything. And I would never see you again. My mind was a whirlwind of emotions. I separated from everyone and dedicated myself to wander aimlessly. Suddenly everything I believed in, everything I ... wanted ... It was gone. Maybe forever. I came here to cry and miss you ... I cry many times to this place. I knew it was your favorite. And I spent long hours wondering what I could have done, what I had failed, what would you have told me if you had been here. But the answer did not come. Time passed and I only got silence. I thought ... That had made me strong, independent, useful. But ... for the first time, I was wrong. He beat me. He won. And he beat you. He beat us. And he ended almost with all our friends, our world. And the worst was ... What ... I didn't care that he won. Because what really mattered to me is that you would not come back.

When I was going to answer, he interrupted me again to continue- Yes, I know what you're going to say. You are going to tell me that I am much more than I think, and capable of everything. Maybe you were right. But without you ... what did I want to continue for? I had friends ... And I love them. But ... none ... -His ears crouched with sadness and shame and his tails wrapped around him- None meant what your presence in my life meant. And you know the worst and most cowardly thing I did? I was never capable to tell you before all this happened. Live with the torment of not having sincerely sincere and that you did not disappear from this world with the impression that you did not matter to such an extent. That ... It consumed me inside. That's why I think I turned too much on the "past." Because I kept denying me about you.

-But Tails ... What are you talking about? -I tried to put some reasoning still and with that sea of tears that had been my face until a few moments ago.

\- Do not play the fool. We have known it for a long time. But we have never wanted to speak out of fear. And in the end, that fear led us to this. I don't want it to happen again, that's why I came here today. You can think of me what you want after this, but I need that if something like this happens again, you know the truth. Because you deserve it. We both deserve to live in peace with ourselves. -His face had changed from shyness, grief and regret to a determined one, more serene and sure of himself.

-What I have come to tell you is that I care more than all the Resistance, than all my friends, than what the future holds. You are my family, Sonic. And I don't want you to forget it. And I love you for that reason. My feelings cannot be as intense for others. I have tried, but it is different. You are the most important thing in my life, and if tomorrow you disappear, I want to disappear with you. I don't want to bear the idea of losing you again.

I looked perplexed. In truth those six months had made him mature as I had not realized. I pulled out as I could the traces of tears from my cheeks and trying to regain security in my voice, I replied

\- But we are already family, Tails. Since we started our adventures we have been...

-Family. But you don't understand. For me you are more than just a family. You are MY family. But I understand if for you, the feeling is not mutual. I have never expected or persecuted. I have settled for what you gave me, which for me was invaluable. But I need you to know, even if our relationship is not the same again, that I love you. And not as "family", I really love you. More than a brother, more than a friend. I want to be your family always. Not the way you've always seen me, but the way I want you to see me now. I'm not that orphan boy you met at Emerald Hill anymore. All this has changed me. I want you and I to form a family again. Together. I know it is impossible. You are free like the wind and I, although I try to follow you, I don't want to be your chains. But I would like that, although we are hundreds of kilometers away from each other, we are united by the same feeling, stronger than all the others. A feeling of love I'm sorry if I've been ... Maybe very straightforward, but ... I needed you to know how I feel. Of course ... You are free to accept it or reject it

His restless tails were now moving in his trembling arms despite his sincerity-laden speech. Of course my face was stunned. I couldn't believe my ears, but Tails had put word for word all that chaos and whirlwind of emotions that had passed through me those last hours of introspection. Family ... love... loneliness ... distance ... death ... separation... All that began to make sense to me, and because of my lack of analysis they had overlooked me, even for myself. I smiled for the first time sincerely since he had arrived with me, and I took his hand gently.

-As always, speaking the same language. That is why I have never found anyone who understood me like you, even more than myself. - Ironicious, bringing my thumb to my torso, winking at that equally perplexed, flushed and confused face that stared back at me.

-Hey...? You mean you feel ... the same? He opened his blue eyes much more, even more surprised.

\- How strange is it? - I scratched the back of my neck, a little nervous and blushing too. -I thought it was easier for you to guess my thoughts.

-Sometimes you're a sea of surprises ... -Ironized, returning the joke, shrugging, but also smiling, sighing.

Now he seemed calmer and more relaxed. I invited him to make a last fist and bump, like the one he had done a few hours ago with "my past doppelganger", and I could see how his gaze was lit again as the first time we met.

-So, what will we do from now?

\- Isn't it obvious? - I shrugged- Take care of each other, even if everything goes wrong, even if the world ends tomorrow, let's live the present, and always share our feelings.

-I never thought I'd hear you say that, it's the first time I've seen you cry like this. But I'm glad I saw it. Now I know that under that hero armor, someone sensitive is hiding who also wants to love and be loved.

-I guess nobody is perfect -Our laugh soon appeared, and sooner than expected, our arms had been intertwined so naturally that none made a move to move away. It was as if we had already lived something like that but, after the end of the world, what did it matter?

The hugs led us to kisses, and kisses to words and gestures that although they had always been hidden under lock and key, were now shown as if it had always been the most normal thing in our lives, although thinking about it, weren't they since long time?

The world could certainly end tomorrow, but it would not do so after deceit, lies or loneliness. I would do it with love entwined, with sincerity, courage and above all those memories that would unite us forever.

Now all that fear, that pain and that sadness was not important. There was a whole world to rebuild, to protect together and with our friends, and if something went wrong, we could always try it together once again.

Because together we are stronger, as we never had been, and together we would change the future, our future.

Because where there is life, there is hope, and where there is love, we have the courage to keep running, always forward.

_**THE END**_


End file.
